The packing and shipping of produce such as grapes, tomatoes, cherries, etc. calls for the usage of specialized boxes of sturdy construction that are readily assembled and stacked. In addition, it is desirable to incorporate latch means on containers of this type to maintain the integrity of the box, especially during shipping.
A wide variety of containers have been devised for this purpose including those containers disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,579, issued Jan. 30, 1973 to J. W. Chaffers, and applicant's copending application U.S. Ser. No. 068,781 filed Aug. 22, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,773, issued Jan. 20, 1981.
When packing produce and other similar materials it is a fairly common practice to "bulge pack", that is, over pack the container somewhat to compensate for settling of the contents occurring during transit. Bulge packing presents its own problems in that forces are exerted on the container which can deform the container sides and cause the container cover to become opened inadvertently. These problems become even more pronounced when the container is subjected to high humidity conditions as is often the case with grapes for example.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container that incorporates an improved positive locking structure which not only positively secures the cover in locked condition but also adds stability to the side walls of the container so that they can resist forces imparted thereto by the contents of the container during packing and shipping.